Clothesline prop



May 13. 1924. 1,494,161

C. C. FAIRBANKS CLOTHESLINE PROP Filed June 6 |922 OG TNRBRFMS m Patented May l13, 1924.

UNITED STATES CHARLES C. FAIRBANKS, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CLOTHEBLINE PROP.

Application led June 8, 19211. Serial No. 586,280.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I CHARLES C. FanznANxs, a citizen of the llnited States. reslding at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Clothesline Props, of which t e following 1s a specification.

The present invention relates to a clothes line prop, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby it will securely engage and support the clothes line without danger of being blown or accidentally knocked from position, and which also admits of the clothes line being readily lowered when lacing clothes thereon or removin them t erefrom. Furter objects of the invention are to provide a clothes line prop which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be easily and quickly placed in osition or removed therefrom, which can e readily fitted to any line, and which has a telescoping construction to admit of the line being lowered to a point within easy reach of the operator when it is de sired to obtain access thereto.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothes line prop contsructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view through the same, portions being broken away.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one possible embodiment of the invention, the numerals 1 and 2 designate the upper and lower telescoping sections, respectively, of the prop member, the upper portion 1 being preferably in the form of a rod which telescopes within the tubular lower section 2, thereby enabling the effective length of the prop member to be adjusted as deslred, and also admitting of the prop being collapsed into a small amount of space when the device is not in use. A reinforcing sleeve 3 is ri idl applied to the upper end of the tubu ar ower section 2, being provided with a set screw 4 for engagement with the rod 1 to hold the two sections of the pr'rpl member in an adiusted position.

e upper end of t e upper section 1 is provided with a head 5, said head being ormed with a laterally opening and upward] inclined notch 6 for the reception of the c othes line 7. A thumb screw 8 is threaded into the head 5 from the upper end thereof and arranged in such a manner that the extremity thereof will engage the clothes line and clamp it firmly in osition at the base of the notched seat 6 w4 en the thumb screw is tightened. Either a wire or a fiber line can be quickly inserted in the notched seat and clamped in position by manipulating the thumb screw 8, thereby securely fastening the line to the prop member so that there will be no danger of the prop becoming accidentally disengaged from the clothes line and permitting the clothes to drag upon the ground.

The lower end of the lower section 2 of the ro member is provided with a ball 9 whic 1s loosel mounted within a socket 10, said socket eing formed with a downwardly extending shank 11 by means of which it is anchored firmly in position upon the ground, This shank 11 may either be driven into the earth, or ermanently set in a concrete base, and in eit er instance it will be readily understood that the lower end of the prop member is firmly anchored in position so that the pro member can neither be blown out of position by the wind nor accidentall knocked out of position with the foot. T e section 2 of the pro member is preferably detachably connec to the ball 9 so that the pro member can be removed from position an collapsed when the device vis not in use. For this purpose the ball 9 is shown as provided at the upper end thereof with a stem 12 which is provided with a laterally projecting lug 13. The lower end of the tubular section 2 of the prop member is exteriorly threaded at 2 and provided with a longitudinal slot 14 arranged to receive the lug 13 of the stem 12 as the latter is inserted lnto the tubular section 2. A reinforcing sleeve 15 is threaded upon the exterior of the member 2 and formed with a bayonet slot 16 adapted to cooperate with the slot 14 to bring about an interlocking connection with the lateralliv projecting lug 13 of the stem 12, thereby oc ing the prop member with the ball 9. A knurled finger nut 17 may be threaded upon the member 2 above the sleeve 15, and arranged to act as a iam nut for lockin the sleeve 15 in an ad usted position. is construction enabies the prop member to be readily attached to or detached from the base, and when it is removed from position it can be collapsed. and stored in a comparatively small amount of s ace.

aving thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A clothes line prop including a socket, an earth anchoring means for said socket, a ball mounted in the socket for complete rotative movement about the vertical axis thereof, a prop member extending upwardly from the ball and carried thereb and line enga ing means at the free end o sald prop mem r.

2. A clothes line prop including a socket, anchoring means for the socket, a ball loose in the socket and formed with an upwardly rojectin stem, a prop member having a etachab e connection and locklng means coo rable with the stem of the ball, and c othes line engagin means at the upper end of the rop mem er.

3. A clot es ine prop includlng a socket, anchorin means for the socket, a ball loose in the soiet and formed with an u wardly projecting stem having a lug exten ing laterally therefrom, a prop member formed with a tubular and slotted lower end to receive the stem and lug of the ball, a rotary locking member u n the Prop member for cooperation with t e lug o the stem to lock the prop member in engagement with the stem, and clothes line engagin means at the upper end of the prop mem r.

4. clothes line prop including a socket, anchoring means for the socket, a ball loose in the socket and formed with an u wardly projecting stem provided with a aterall extending lu a pro member formed wit a tubular an slotte lower end adapted to receive the stem and lug, a sleeve rotatable upon the prop member and formed with a bayonet slot arranged for cooperation with the slot of the rop member and lateral lug of the stem to ock the prop member to the stem, and clothes line engaging means at the upper end of the prop member.

5. A clothes line prop including a socket, anchoring means for the socket, a ball loose in the socket and formed with an u wardly projecting stem provided with a aterall extending lu a pro member formed wit a tubular an slotte lower end adapted to receive the stem and lateral lug, a sleeve threaded upon the prop member and formed with a bayonet slot arranged for cooperation with the slot of the prop member and lateral lug of the stem to ock the pro member to the stem, a jam nut threads upon the prop member for engagement with the sleeve to lock it in position, and clothes line engagin means at the upper end of the prop mem r.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

CHARLES C. FAIRBAN KS. 

